First published 2021
Paul McCartney opens his songwriting vault to examine 154 compositions that span his entire career. He traces each song's origin, from "Yesterday" and "Let It Be" during his Beatles years to "Mull of Kintyre" and his solo work. McCartney explains how his parents Mary and Jim shaped his early musical sensibilities, how his partnership with John Lennon developed their collaborative process, and how his relationships with Linda Eastman and Nancy McCartney influenced later compositions. He discusses his literary inspirations, citing Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, and his high school English teacher Alan Durband as formative influences. The book arranges these song commentaries alphabetically across two volumes, accompanied by previously unreleased materials from McCartney's personal collection including handwritten lyrics, paintings, and photographs. This collection documents sixty-four years of songwriting evolution.
Genres: biography, art, 20th-century, non-fiction, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, songwriting
Period: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
960 pages · Hardcover · Liveright